Various attempts have been made to optimize the cooling of various automobile parts. Some of the various devices developed have been designed to control the air flow throughout the engine compartment of the automobile such that the desired amount of heat is transferred away from the engine, transmission, and other components which generate heat, in order to maintain an optimal operating temperature.
It is also desirable to bring the engine up to the normal operating temperature as soon as possible after engine start-up. When the engine is substantially the same temperature as the surrounding environment and is turned on, the engine is the least fuel efficient (especially during start-up and the temperature of the surrounding environment is cold). The reduced fuel efficiency is why it is considered desirable to bring the engine up to the optimal operating temperature very quickly. Under these conditions, it is not desirable to remove heat away from the engine and the various components surrounding the engine, and therefore devices designed to control air flow around the engine are more beneficially used if they do not remove heat away from the engine at start-up. Active grille systems that have been developed implement a frame that is typically molded as a complete part. As a result current active grille shutter components require large tooling investments and are typically unique to one vehicle. A disadvantage to current designs is that for each new program, a new design is required to be developed and retooled. Additionally, the one piece frame has a low shipping density as it is mostly empty space. Furthermore, if an active grille system application requires additional vanes or a different base air flow, a complete new frame must be molded and shipped. It is therefore desirable to provide a scalable and versatile frame that uses cost effective manufacturing methods and universal component designs to reduce development and program cost. It is also desirable to develop scalable designs that will increase the shipping density since the various components can be stacked more closely together.